Stroh Won't Beat Us
by SassyRaydorGirl
Summary: "We should not give up, and we should not allow the problem to defeat us."


**Stroh Won't Beat Us**

 **Sharon/Andrea**

…

Sharon sat on the couch, reading the same paragraph of her book for the last half hour. She'd been cooped up inside her condo for over a month and it was finally starting to get to her, she looked to her left, the sun shining in through the window, part of her wanting so much to go outside for some fresh air. She heard the footsteps behind her, the light whistling as Andy came over to her, placing a cup of green tea down in front of her. She looked up, offering a warm smile his way before he sat down beside her.

"How's the book?"

"Honestly, I'm not really paying that much attention."

"Getting bored huh?"

"Oh Andy, I need to work. I'm not someone who can just sit at home, I need to be doing something."

"You heard what your doctor said, three months and even then, you'll be on desk duty for at least another three."

"Well if I'm just going to be sitting behind a desk, I could do that now. It's all I'm doing at home anyway."

"Your body needs time to heal, you've just gone through a major operation, it takes time."

"Says you." She said giving him a curious glance.

"Hey I admit I was just as stubborn when I had my heart attack, so maybe I know what I'm talking about here."

Sharon let out a long sigh as she closed her book and placed it on the table before taking her tea.

"The next two months will fly by, you have all your friends to keep you company, we'll help you pass the time and the kid."

"You've all been great, I honestly don't know what I would have done without you all."

"I know the transplant was your last resort, I know you didn't want to take the heart from someone else but…"

"I know, there was nothing that could be done for my donor."

"They did a good thing, their death means something. They saved your life."

Sharon looked up at Andy, taking hold of his hand in hers.

"Thank you…not just for now but, everything the last few months, all of you."

"That's what friends are for."

Sharon was about to reply when her phone rang, putting down her tea and picking up her cell to see Lieutenant Provenza's name flashing on her screen. Andy rolled his eyes as she went to answer it.

"Lieutenant, what can I do for you?"

Andy sat quietly as Sharon listened to Provenza on the end of the line, her features changing suddenly.

"Sharon? What is it?"

"Oh my god, when did it happen?"

"What's happened?" Andy asked.

"Oh dear, is she there now…okay, I'm on my way….no no, it's perfectly fine. I'll be there soon."

Sharon hung up her cell before turning to Andy to see the worried look on his face.

"Sharon, what is it?"

"Emma Rios…she's been found dead."

"What…when….how?"

"Major Crimes got the call about an hour ago, drowned."

"Deliberate?"

"It looks that way, I have to get down there."

Before Andy could speak, Sharon was on her feet, going over to the coat rack and putting on her jacket, stopping to catch her breath briefly.

"Whoa, what are you doing?"

"Well what does it look like, I'm going down there."

"Sharon you're on medical leave, a crime scene is that last place you should be."

"I have to be there Andy."

"They can handle it."

"Andrea's down there, she's in a state. Lieutenant Provenza asked if I could go and calm her down."

"Surely there's someone else.

"No…I'm sorry I….she needs me Andy."

"You still haven't told her, have you?"

"No, there hasn't been a right time."

"The woman confessed her love for you after your surgery and she has no idea you even heard her. You should have talked about this with her the first moment you got."

Sharon lowered her head for a moment before looking back up at Andy, fear in her eyes.

"What if I can't do this, I've never done this before. Jack…then you, even if it was for a short time."

"Hey, we tried, at least we know we're better off as friends. The thing you need to ask yourself is, how do you feel about Andrea, because if you just see her as a friend then you really need to tell her that, don't string her a long with the false hope that something could happen if that's not how you really feel."

"I admit that since my transplant, we have grown a lot closer, the time she's been spending over here, looking after me, keeping me occupied, it's been…nice."

"Okay…so…?"

"I don't know if it's just because I heard what she said to me that day in the hospital or because I genuinely do have feelings for her."

"I know it's tough, but maybe talking to her is what you need to do now. This kind of stress so soon after your operation can't be good for you."

"I will talk to her, but right now…I need to get down there, she needs me. Where's the car keys?" She said to herself, looking in her pockets.

"Hang on, you're not driving."

"I have too get there."

"I'll take you, you can't drive yet."

"Andy are you sure, I don't want to ask any more of you than I have already."

"I'm offering, come on."

…

Provenza had ordered Amy Sykes to keep an eye on Andrea while they continued with their investigation of the crime scene. Andrea sat on the edge of one of the sun loungers as she stared in to the pool, watching as they slowly removed Emma Rios from the it, tears falling from Andrea's eyes as the young woman's body was placed on the concrete. Amy heard the cry from Andrea, coming over to her and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"DDA Hobbs…"

"I'm okay, I'm…this can't be happening."

Andrea lowered her head and cried, not noticing Sharon and Andy arriving from the other side. Provenza was the first to spot them, coming over to them.

"Commander, I'm so sorry I had to call you."

"It's perfectly fine Lieutenant, I understand. What a mess." She said quietly as she looked over at Emma's body.

"I really wouldn't have called but DDA Hobbs is in a pretty bad way."

Amy came over to them, a concerned look on her face.

"So nice to see you Commander Raydor, you look great."

"Thank you Amy, how's Andrea?"

"Pretty shaken up, I've never seen her like this before."

"I suppose there's been a lot of unease lately, I should go over to her."

As Sharon left, Andy stood with his arms folded, giving Provenza an annoyed look.

"What?" The older man said.

"She's supposed to be resting and you drag her down to a crime scene."

"I didn't have a choice, look at Hobbs…have you ever seen her like that before."

Andy followed Porvenza's gaze, seeing how lost Andrea looked as she cried.

"Yeah okay I guess so, do you know how it happened yet?"

"Not sure but Kendall's pretty sure it's not accidental."

"Murder?"

"I haven't told Sharon yet but, Emma called me a few days ago and she told me that Stroh is back in LA."

"You think he did this?"

"Oh come on Flynn, it's too much of a coincidence. Emma calls me to tell me Stroh's back in LA and two days later she's dead? I hate coincidences."

Andrea heard the heels on the concrete approaching her, not wanting to look up. She saw the tall figure suddenly crouch down slowly in front of her, seeing Sharon's face staring back at her when she lifted her head.

"Andrea…" Sharon said softly taking hold of Andrea's hands in her own.

Andrea stared crying again, Sharon getting to her feet, a small sound of pain escaping her lips before she sat down beside Andrea, her arm going around the younger woman's shoulder as she pulled Andrea towards her.

"I'm so sorry about Emma."

"He did this."

"What, honey who did this?"

Andrea lifted her head, looking Sharon in the eyes.

"Philip Stroh."

"How do you know that?"

"She called Lieutenant Provenza a few days ago, she found out Stroh was back in LA."

"He's back in LA?"

"I was actually coming to see you later, I've organized some extra protection for Rusty and for you."

"You have?"

"I phoned Chief Howard, called in a few favours…he was happy to do it. Emma insisted on her own detail…and look what happened."

The tears started again as her head found it's way to Sharon's shoulder.

"Come on, you don't need to be here. I'm going to take you home."

"You didn't drive here did you?"

"Don't worry, Andy drove me."

"I'm sorry, I told Provenza not to call you." She sniffed.

"Nonsense, you mean a great deal to me, of course I'd be here for you. Come on, lets get you home."

…

Andy drove to Andrea's, Sharon sitting in the back seat, her arm around Andrea as Andy looked in the rear view mirror, locking eyes with his friend. She could feel his eyes on her as she looked towards him, smiling before she gave him a small nod. As Andrea got out of the car, Andy turned back to Sharon.

"I'll head back to the condo, take some dinner for Rusty. Call me when you're ready to be picked up and if you decide to stay the night…let me know."

"Thank you Andy and do me a favour, don't tell Rusty about Emma or Stroh just yet, I should be the one to do that. Just try and keep him inside tonight." she smiled.

"No worries and good luck."

Sharon nodded before getting out the car, her hand going to Andrea's back as she guided her in to her apartment building, they got in to the elevator and waited for it to take them to Andrea's floor.

"I'm sorry again, for calling you out."

"I was happy to do it Andrea."

"You're supposed to be recovering."

"I can recover just as well at your place."

The elevator door opened as the two women got out, Sharon staying close to her friend. As they entered Andrea's apartment, the younger woman just stood silently in the doorway, Sharon came in behind her, closing the door before turning to Andrea.

"Come on, let's get that jacket off huh."

Andrea didn't fuss as Sharon helped her out of her jacket before she was ushered down the hall and in to the living room, Sharon lowering her on to the couch.

"I'm going to go and make us some tea."

"I should be doing that, you're supposed to be resting."

"It's fine, the exercise will do me good."

As Andrea sat quietly, she heard Sharon humming to herself as she made the tea, causing the younger woman to smile. When Sharon came through, she placed the two cups down on the table before removing her own jacket and sitting down as close to Andrea as she could.

"How do you feel honey?"

"I don't know, I just can't believe it happened. I only saw her last night and now…she wasn't as bad as she seemed. I know she spoke out loud before really thinking but she was a good DDA and believe or not she was a good friend, she was just very ambitious. Her job always came first and I know she tended to alienate people in her path."

"I know she and I never really hit it off but, I certainly wouldn't have wished this on her, the poor girl."

"Thank you for coming home with me, I just didn't want to be alone tonight."

"Of course I'd be here for you, You've done nothing but take care of me the last month or so."

"With everything else that's happening, I'm just glad you're going to be okay."

"Me too, I know I was reluctant to have the surgery but I…"

"In the end you did, and that's all that matters. We need you, I need you."

Sharon looked up as she took a hold of Andrea's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Honey there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about for a while, I don't know if now is really the right time but…I'm not really sure there ever will be."

"Sharon…what is it." Andrea asked, a worried tone in her voice.

"The day after my surgery, when you were in the room with me, waiting for me to wake up…I heard you."

Andrea looked at her confused, a half smile on her face, unsure of what she should do.

"What do you…"

"I heard you tell me that you loved me…loved me as more than a friend."

Andrea froze, removing her hand from Sharon's before she got to her feet, turning away from the older woman for a moment.

"Andrea?"

"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have told you, at least not like that. The truth is I didn't know what was going to happen, the doctors told us it was a waiting game and I panicked. I knew you and Andy were over and I wanted you to know how I felt just in case. I honestly didn't think you'd heard me."

Sharon took Andrea's hand, pulling her back to sit down, Andrea forcing herself to look up at her.

"Well I did hear you, and I've been contemplating what I should do since you said it. If I'm honest, I really wasn't sure how I felt myself. I've only ever seen you as a friend but we've been spending a lot more time together and we have gotten closer."

"And?"

"If you want my honest answer, I can't say I love you in that way….at least not yet. As a friend, yes of course I love you but I need some time to see about the other part. I need for us, if this is what you want, to take slowly and see where it goes, if you're willing to be patient with me."

Sharon saw the small smile on Andrea's face, feeling Andrea move a little closer to her as she placed a warm kiss to her lips.

"We can take this as slow as you need too, I've waited this long, I can wait a little longer."

"Thank you, now you look exhausted, I think it's time you were getting some sleep."

"I could use a nap."

"On you go and I'll wait out here, when you wake up we can try and eat something okay."

"Okay….thanks Sharon."

…

Sharon was on the phone with Andy a few hours later, asking him to bring over a bag for her.

"How's Rusty, you haven't said anything to him about Stroh have you?"

"Sharon I told you I wouldn't and I haven't, don't worry. I bought him dinner and now he's in his room."

"Dinner? Burgers?"

"I keeps him quiet, how's Andrea?"

"She seems okay now, she's having a lie down."

"Did you get a chance to talk to her about what she said?"

"I did."

"And?"

"And she's agreed that we take things slow, my pace, my time."

"And you're absolutely sure about this?"

"I can't be sure Andy, right now of anything. After what I've been through, I'm just living for now and I…"

Sharon stopped short when she heard the screams coming from Andrea's bedroom.

"What the hell is that?" Andy asked.

"Andy I have to go, I'll call you back."

Sharon quickly hung up the phone before getting up and rushing as quickly as she could in her current state towards Andrea's room. She opened the door to see Andrea thrashing around on the bed, tears falling from her eyes. She rushed over to the bed, both hands on Andrea's arms as she tried to calm the woman.

"ANDREA…ANDREA HONEY WAKE UP?"

Andrea heard the tones of Sharon Raydor before her eyes shot open, panic on her face as she scanned the room, her eyes landing on Sharon as the older woman took a seat on the bed beside her, wrapping her arms around Andrea as she cried.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She cried.

"Oh honey it's okay, I completely understand."

Sharon pulled back, brushing Andrea's hair away from her face.

"You're okay." She said softly.

"Why can't I get the images of Emma out of my head? I just want them gone."

"You can't get rid of them Andrea, because you shouldn't."

"How can you say that?" She asked, a little shock in her voice.

"Because you should use the sadness, the anger, the frustration you feel. Use them to get back at the ones who did this….to get back at Stroh."

"I don't know if I'm strong enough Sharon."

"Andrea Hobbs, you are one of the strongest women I know. You won't let the likes of Philip Stroh beat you, just as I won't. We will get him…together."

Andrea nodded before wrapping herself around Sharon once more.

"We won't let him bring any of us down, he'll pay for what he's done to Emma…I promise you that."

…

-Fin


End file.
